Who We Are

Doug Seibold, president, has worked for 30 years in trade, educational, and nonprofit publishing and media. From 1999 to 2002, he was founding editorial director of UNext, which created online schools in partnership with universities such as Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Chicago. He founded Agate in 2003, started Agate Development in 2005, acquired Surrey Books in 2006, and created the Agate Digital and Midway Books imprints in 2012.

Kate DeVivo, vice president, has more than 20 years of experience working in editorial, production, and management for publishing companies, higher-education organizations, and nonprofit associations. She holds two journalism degrees and has edited textbooks, magazines, journals, and educational materials. She has extensive experience assembling and leading teams to develop print and electronic products, educational ancillaries, online courses, and K–12 assessment materials. She joined Agate in 2010.

Suzanne Sonnier, senior director of content development, is a former grade 6–12 social studies and English teacher and university and community college instructor who holds an MA in history. She is the author of Shinto, Spirits, and Shrines: Religion in Japan and has developed many K–12 and college textbooks and standardized assessments. She joined Agate in 2011.

Rachel Hinton, senior manager of content development, taught college-level courses on composition, creative writing, and academic research while earning her MFA from the University of California–Irvine. She also completed coursework in pedagogy and writing education, and currently teaches a copyediting course at DePaul University. Prior to earning her MFA, she worked in educational publishing with a focus on development of K–12 textbooks and assessments. She joined Agate in 2011.

Kate Patla, senior manager of instructional design and editorial development, has more than 14 years of instructional design experience. She started her career with Accenture as a programmer and instructor-led trainer before moving into online higher education. Her experience includes developing online courses for associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees; LMS production; and adaptive learning. She joined Agate in 2015.

David Schlesinger, senior manager of content development, has ten years of experience in publishing and education. He has worked as a writer, editor, instructional designer, and project manager to develop trade books, textbooks, and a variety of educational materials intended for primary grades through higher ed. In recent years, he has worked mostly with continuing professional education and corporate partners to develop digital and print publications as well as custom online courses. He joined Agate in 2011.